Wikipedia

Motocross

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Motocross is a form of motorcycle or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits and is the widely considered the world's most popular form of motorcycle racing. Motocross is derived from the French, and was originally called Scrambling when the sport was invented in the UK. The name "motocross" is a contraction derived from the words "Motorcycle" and "Cross Country". Motocross is often abbreviated as MX.

A rider cornering during a motocross race in Australia

Motocross tracks are often quite large and incorporate natural terrain features with very few man made jumps, unlike Supercross, a sport that was originally derived from Motocross and is executed on a smaller track with more extreme man made obstacles. It is not unheard of for a Motocross track to be made up entirely of hills and turns with no jumps at all. Due to the size of the track, motocross races often include more than 40 racers whereas Supercross races are generally limited to about 25.

Professional races are measured by time. A typical Pro race will run for 30 minutes, then once the leader crosses the finish line that lap, he is given a signal indicating there are two laps remaining. A one-lap-to-go signal is given at the start of the final lap, and the race is completed at the end of that lap. This format is known as 30 minutes plus 2 laps.

Other formats may be determined by laps. In each race there is a set number of laps and the first rider to complete the set number of laps is the victor. The first three riders that finish first are declared the podium riders because of the first through third positions in the race. Races are ran in sessions called motos. There are two motos in a race and the riders place in those heats are averaged together to get their overall finish.

Machines

Machines range from 50cc to 550cc and are divided into their respective classifications by engine size. This is complicated by the combination of two-stroke and four-stroke engine types racing together in the same classes. 4-stroke engine technology is older, slower, and heavier than comparable 2-strokes engines. However, they are also less poluting as they do not burn gasoline with premixed oil. Because of these disadvantages, 4-stroke bikes are given a displacement advantage, usually close to double that of a 2-stroke. For example, 250f (f for four-stroke) machines race with 125cc 2-strokes and 450f machines race with 250cc 2-strokes (although when the displacement rule was first derived, the four stroke limit was 550cc for use in the 250 class). Although 2-stroke bikes are still lighter, cheaper, and easier to maintain, most racers are switching to 4-strokes in the full-size classes (125/250f and 250/450f). This is mostly due to the extra power gained because the displacement rule overcompensated for 4-stroke disadvantages.

Common classifications are 50cc, 65cc, 85cc, 125cc/MX2, 250cc/MX1. The AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) has also adopted the highly criticized naming convention of 'Motocross' and 'Supercross' for Pro 250/450f races and 'Motocross Lites' and 'Supercross Lites' for Pro 125/250f races. No bikes with a displacement under 125/250f are considered full-size machines.

Motocross machines are built to handle obstacles ranging from massive jumps to small, rough, high-speed bumps and ruts. This requires a lightweight machine with versatile, long-travel suspension. To bring the weight down to an acceptable level (usually 200 to 250 lbs for full-size machines), things such as speedometers, lights, kickstands, electric starters, etc are all omitted and lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium are commonly used right from the factory. Because of the physical nature of motocross, riders spend much of their time standing to absorb shock with their knees. The long, flat seat is designed to allow riders to shift their weight quickly and easily in corners, rather than for comfort.

Unusual for racing machines, motocross bikes can be purchased in a ready-to-race or nearly ready-to-race condition at moderate prices from major motorcycle manufacturers. Many riders, however, modify their machines further, both for outright performance and to have the bike's behaviour more in tune with their own preferences. The highly tuned machines of the professionals are called "factory bikes."

See also Motorcycle - especially the "Construction", "Dirt bike/Trail bike" and "Farm bike" sections

Manufacturers

Incomplete list

Current

The above five are the major five manufactures in most markets, the manufactures below command little market share (currently - 2005).

Previous

See also the List of motorcycle manufacturers

Event

 
Motocross start (holeshot)

The object of the contest is to complete either a defined number of laps (usually three to seven for amateurs, more for professionals) or fixed time period (anything up to 40 minutes) first. A race typcially made up of two or three motos (or legs) with the scores combined to determine the overall result. There is a mass start

Motocross racing is one of the most visually appealing forms of motorsport, with riders performing seemingly death-defying leaps, turns visibly at the edge of traction (as indicated by a sliding, spinning rear tire throwing dirt at all behind it), and the effort of riders clearly visible as they move their bodies around their motorcycles to balance the bikes for maximum speed.

Recently the sport has evolved with sub disciplines like Supercross and Arenacross (both are indoor motocross), Freestyle (or FMX) (a display of jumping skill rather than racing), Supermoto (Motocross machines racing on both tarmac and off road) and vintage motocross (competitions with bikes usually pre-dating 1975).

Motocross can be an entry sport for motorsports in general. Classes for children as young as 4 years old exist for competition on 50cc machines.

The AMA Championship Motocross Series is considered by most to be the premier motocross series in the world. The season, which begins in early May and continues until mid-August, consists of 24 races held at 12 major tracks all over the continental United States. Each event, often called a "National", is held on consecutive Sundays, and consists of two 30 minute-plus-two-lap races, held approximately two hours apart. Both 125cc and 250cc classes race.

Physical demands

 
Motocross racers jumping

One of the least understood aspects of motocross racing by non-participants is the extreme level of physical fitness required of competitors. Those unfamiliar with the sport often assume that the rider is doing nothing more strenuous than steering a motorized vehicle around a field, no more demanding than driving the family car around the block. In truth, motocross racing has been found to be one of the most physically demanding sports in existence. Observing in detail a rider's actions while at speed on the track reveals why. He or she must maintain ultra-precise control of a machine traversing terrain that most people would have difficulty walking across while maintaining as high of a rate of speed as possible. The rider is astride a machine weighing at least two hundred pounds and, at the most elite professional level, has an engine that produces at least fifty horsepower. A rider's arms and legs are in constant motion during a race, fighting for control of the motorcycle and absorbing the energy produced by high-speed landings from heights that often exceed twenty feet or from two-foot high stutter bumps (called whoops) that jackhammer the motorcycle and the rider. The G forces produced test the absolute limits of a rider's strength and endurance. Finally, a typical professional moto (heat race) lasts at least thirty minutes. That represents half of an hour in which the faster the rider goes, the more violently and frequently he or she is punished. And there are no pauses, breaks or pit stops. At least not if a rider expects to win. [citation needed]

The National Sport Health Institute in Englewood, California tested several professional motocross racers in the early 1980s as part of a comparative study of the cardio-vascular fitness of athletes from various disciplines. Athletes from track, American football and soccer were tested, among others. The cardiac stress and strength test results compiled there revealed that the motocross subjects had as high of a fitness level as than any other discipline tested. (original article appeared in DirtBike magazine in 1980. Interview with Brad Lackey, World Motocross Champion and one of the test's participants appeared in Racer X Illustrated in 2004 and is recounted here)

ATV Motocross

 
A group of “quad bike” all terrain vehicles

Starting in the year 2002, ATV Motocross started to see a dramatic increase in participation across the United States. This was a direct result of the major ATV manufacturers getting involved in the sport. Before we can talk about the current state of ATV motocross, we must understand the past. ATV racing floundered after Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha dropped ATV-racing support in the mid 1980s due to the bad publicity associated with the alleged dangers of operating these vehicles. Throughout the late 1980s and all during the 1990s, aftermarket companies kept the sport alive, but barely. Racers would build expensive, custom ATVs with parts from major aftermarket manufacturers like Laeger's, Walsh Race Craft and Lonestar Racing. The engine that kept racing alive was the Honda TRX250R engine that was manufactured from 1986 to 1989. Again, the aftermarket helped racers get all they could out of the dated engine. Companies like Curtis Sparks Racing Engines, Baldwin Motorsports and Hinson Racing made it so the only stock component of the 250R engine were the left and right engine cases. Suspension upgrades made it possible for ATVs to hit jumps never thought possible. Suspension companies like PEP and Custom Axis, combined with long-travel A-arms and rear suspension links smoothed out rough tracks and harsh landings.

However, in order to be competitive, it was necessary to spend upwards of $20,000 on the race ATV. In the late 90s, rules were changed to allow racers to use dirt bike engines in ATV frames. The era of the four-stroke hybrid race ATV was born when Harold Goodman piloted a custom-built YZ400F to a national Four-Stroke Pro-Am championship. Soon hybrid machines were all over the tracks.

The manufacturers started paying closer attention to the sport ATV market, and in 1999 Honda released the four-stroke TRX400EX. While it wasn't as powerful as the hybrids racing on the tracks, it was a positive step. In 2001, Cannondale entered the ATV market and even fielded an ATV racing team in partnership with Nac's Racing the following year. The Cannondale story was a short one as the company declared bankruptcy shortly after 2002. In 2003 Suzuki released the LT-Z400 that featured a liquid-cooled four-stroke powerplant. That same year, the ATVA instituted a Pro Production class at the motocross nationals in order to showcase "stock" ATVs. The traditional Pro class still allowed two-strokes and hybrids. Many Pro racers raced both classes, but the premier class was still the Pro class. Tim Farr, in a move that raised eyebrows, raced only the Pro Production class. Doug Gust won the Pro Production class while Jeremiah Jones won the Pro class. Jones' championship would be the last Pro-class championship on a two-stroke.

Late in the 2003, Yamaha announced the YFZ450 for the 2004 model year. This ATV represented the first time a major manufacturer built a high-performance sport ATV suited for racing. While it wasn't as wide as many wanted for motocross and didn't have long-travel suspension, it featured a four-stroke engine very similar to the motocross dirt bikes Yamaha was putting out. The ATV also came stock with fully adjustable front suspension, the first time this was available on a stock ATV. After the Yamaha announcement, Honda announced it was going to bring the TRX450R to market in 2004. The tide was turning for the high-performance race ATV market.

The 2004 national ATV Motocross season was one of the most anticipated in 15 years. Suzuki announced it was going to hire Doug Gust as its motocross pilot, Honda was hiring Tim Farr as its factory racer and Yamaha was going to offer support Kory Ellis in limited fashion for the season. This represented the first time since around 1986 that any manufacturer was offering factory support for ATV racing. The moved proved to be a successful one for Suzuki as Doug Gust walked away with the national motocross championship, and in the process winning six overalls in a row.

The 2005 season saw more factory support and Suzuki fielding two racers, Gust and Jeremiah Jones, out of the Yoshimura/Suzuki semi. That year it was Honda winning the championship with support rider John Natalie taking the motocross championship. The 2005 season proved that the factories were willing to support ATV racing as they never had before. With that support on the track also meant support in the dealerships in the way of new, updated machines.

In the summer of 2005, Suzuki announced it was going to produce the 2006 LT-R450. This sport ATV was the most motocross-ready ATV ever produced. It featured electronic fuel injection, a high-performance four-stroke engine and a chassis that could be competitive in stock form. The front end had high-end shocks with 10 inches of travel and a width approaching 50 inches. The rear tires with 18-inch tires just like motocrossers sport. The swingarm was made of steel, too.

In 2005, local tracks mirrored the national tracks as more and more racers were bringing ATVs to race thanks to raceable models. Many feel that 2006 will be the biggest yet as the nationals continue to grow and many local AMA districts are offering "quad-only" race weekends.

Sidecars

Sidecar racing, known as Sidecarcross has been around since the 50’s but has declined in popularity since the 90’s. This variant is common in Europe, with a few followers in USA, New Zealand and Australia. Motocross sidecars are purpose built frames that resemble an ordinary motocross-cycle with a flat platform to stand on attached to either side and a handlebar at waist height to hold on to. The side of the "chair" (slang for the platform) usually follows the side of the road the nation in question drives upon, but not always. The passenger balances the bike by being a counterweight, especially in corners and on jumps. It’s driven on ordinary crosstracks. It is very physically demanding, especially for the passenger. This is reflected in most in the Swedish term for passenger- "burkslav", roughly translated as trunk/body/barrel-slave. This name comes from the early sidecars where the platform looked like a real road-sidecar and not today's platform.

The major frame builders today (2004) are VMC, BSU, AYR, EML and Woodenleg. Ordinary engines can be used, but size matters and two engines purpose built for sidecars exist, Zabel (Germany) and MTH (Austria) are most common. Fourstrokes are getting more common, usually KTM(Austria).

Freestyle

 
Mike Adair performing the Superman Seatgrab

Freestyle motocross (FMX), a relatively new sport, is not racing and instead concentrates on performing acrobatic stunts while jumping motocross bikes. The winner is chosen by a group of judges. The riders are scored on style, level of trick difficulty, best use of the course, and frequently crowd reactions as well.

One stunt performed is the backflip, which was first performed successfully on a large bike by Carey Hart using a specially designed dirt ramp. Soon after this, Mike Metzger completed this stunt using a standard freestyle ramp and dirt landing. [1] Some consider the body varial 360 as the most difficult stunt being performed at this time. This stunt, also called the Carolla, was first performed by Chuck Carothers at the 2004 X Games. Prior to this, the backflip 360, or off-axis backflip, was widely considered the most challenging stunt. Another rider taking freestyle to a new level is Travis Pastrana, who in 2005 did the world's first double backflip although it has never been attempted in competition.

Minibikes

File:PitsterPro125X2R.jpg
The Pitster Pro, a minibike designed specifically for Pit-Bike racing.

The latest craze is adult racing on miniature (50cc) motorcycles called minibikes or Pit-Bikes. The Pit-Bike concept was originally so that full size motocross riders could easily navigate the Pits, the area designated for parking, and setting up prior to an event. The craze grew from there. People began "hopping up" the bikes and racing them against eachother. These inexpensive minibikes designed for small children are often transformed for adult use by adding taller handle bars and by improving the suspension. Other "hop ups" include larger engines and frames. No standard defintion of what constitutes a pit-bike by any major governing body exits, but the normal requirement is a 12" front wheel, and a 10" rear. None of the big 5 manufactures (Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and KTM) currently offer "race ready" pit-bikes, however some other companies are beginning to sell bikes designed solely for this purpose. These include Pitster Pro, the SDG, and the Sikk MX. The minibike craze is predominatley in Southern California, but is starting to rise in popularity in other areas of the US and the world.

Supermoto

File:Supermoto.jpg
A Supermoto rider on the road

Supermoto is a recent invention involving racing Motocross bikes on a part concrete, part off road track, with "road" tires instead of off road tires. Some tracks for these race events have jumps, berms, and whoop-dee-doos just like true motocross tracks. For special events, the Supermoto track may incorporate metal ramps for jumps that can be disassembled and taken to other locations. Supermoto races may take place at modified go-kart tracks, road racing tracks, or even street racing tracks. There are also classes for kids such as the 85cc class.

Governing bodies

The sport is governed world wide by the FIM, with federations in many nations.

Incomplete listing

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Motocross.

Renowned Motocross Riders

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